(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air cleaner for an internal combustion engine, and in particular, to an improved air cleaner that enhances engine performance by integrally forming an air cleaner body and an air inlet pipe.
(b) Description of the Related Art
An air cleaner is needed to protect an engine and fuel system by removing dirt, abrasive particles and other foreign substances, as well as moisture present in the air before the air is supplied to the engine and fuel system. The air cleaner may be mounted to a carburetor air horn, fuel injection throttle body, or intake manifold by an air transfer duct.
FIG. 3 shows a prior art air cleaner. All incoming air is introduced into a cleaning chamber 104 defined by a housing 101 through an air inlet pipe 102 such that the air undergoes an initial cleaning process. That is, relatively large particles and moisture present in the air drop downwardly by the gravity exerted on these substances. The air having gone through the initial cleaning process then passes through the air filter before entering an engine such that the air undergoes a second cleaning process. The large particles and moisture that drop after entering the cleaning chamber 104 collect in a drain outlet 106 formed on a bottom surface of the housing 101 to be discharged through a drain valve 110 mounted to the drain outlet 106 by means of a clamp. The air inlet pipe 102 is connected to the housing 101 by means of a pop-riveting process in a state inserted into the cleaning chamber 104.
In this air cleaner, however, the air inlet pipe 102 and the cleaning chamber 104 are separately manufactured before being connected to each other. Accordingly, it is difficult to completely seal the air inlet pipe 102. Also, the air flow in the cleaning chamber 104 is not smooth because the air inlet pipe 102 is inserted into the cleaning chamber 104.
The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above problems of the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved air cleaner capable of completely sealing an air inlet pipe and smoothing an air flow in a cleaning chamber by integrally forming the air inlet pipe and an air cleaner body.
To achieve the above object, the air cleaner for an internal combustion engine comprises a body having a chamber space, an air inlet pipe connected to the body for introducing air into the chamber space, a drain cock formed on a bottom surface of the body for collecting particles and moisture present in the introduced air, and a drain valve mounted to the drain cock for discharging the particles and moisture. The air inlet pipe is integrally formed with the body and is not inserted in the body.